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List of World Drivers' Champions
The Formula One World Drivers' Championship (WDC) is awarded by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) to the most successful Formula One racing car driver over a season, as determined by a points system based on Grand Prix results of that year. The Drivers' Championship was first awarded in the first very season of Formula One in 1950, to Nino Farina. The first driver to win multiple Championships was Alberto Ascari, in and . The current Drivers' Champion is Sebastian Vettel, who won his third World Championship in the . The FIA does not officially declare the Champion until the end of the season, but a driver is said to have "clinched" the Championship after it is no longer possible for another to obtain more points than him, even if the former driver were to not compete in the remaining races of the season, and the latter to score the maximum number of points possible. The Drivers' Championship has been won in the final race of the season 24 times in the 60 seasons it has been awarded. The earliest in a season that the Drivers' Championship has been clinched was in 2002, when Michael Schumacher secured the title with six races remaining. Overall, thirty two different drivers have won the Championship, with German Michael Schumacher holding the record for most titles, at seven. Schumacher also holds the record for most consecutive Drivers' Championships, winning five from 2000 to 2004. However Great Britain has produced, by far, the most number of World Championship winning drivers with ten (Brazil and Finland are next closest, with three each). __TOC__ By season Notes :* Indicates the team also won the Constructors' Championship (awarded since 1958). # The 1952 and 1953 championships were run to Formula Two regulations. # Fangio competed in the 1954 Argentine and Belgian Grands Prix with Maserati, then completed the season with Mercedes. # Rindt died during practice for the 1970 Italian Grand Prix (the tenth round of the season) but his Championship was not confirmed until two rounds later. # Michael Schumacher scored 78 points during the 1997 season, only 3 points behind Villeneuve. However, Schumacher was disqualified from the championship for colliding with Villeneuve at the final race of the season, the European Grand Prix. This left Villeneuve with a 39 point margin over Heinz-Harald Frentzen with 42 points. ? By driver has won the World Drivers' Championship a record seven times -- two at Benetton and five at Ferrari. He now races for Mercedes.]] By nationality By constructor team Constructors in bold are still competing in the World Championship. By constructor nationality By engine The 1966 Repco engines were based on Oldsmobile engine blocks from the USA. The TAG engines were designed and built by German company Porsche. 10 of the constructors' championships for Ford engines were with the (Ford-financed) Cosworth DFV engine. Mercedes-Benz won 2 with their own team, 3 with McLaren and 1 with Brawn Engine manufacturers in bold are still competing in the World Championship. By tyre manufacturer Tyre manufacturers in bold are still competing in the World Championship. Notes # Goodyear was the sole tyre supplier for the 1987, 1988, & 1992 – 1996 seasons # Bridgestone was the sole tyre supplier for the 1999 & 2000 seasons, and 2007 – 2010 # Fangio competed in the 1954 Argentine and Belgian Grands Prix on Pirelli with Maserati, then completed the season on Continental with Mercedes # Ascari competed in the 1952 Indianapolis 500 on Firestone tyres, then completed the season on Pirelli Records Youngest Drivers' Champion Bold text indicates driver is still competing in Formula 1. Oldest Drivers' Champion Bold text indicates driver still competes in Formula 1. Consecutive Drivers' Championships Nine drivers have achieved consecutive wins in the Formula One Drivers' Championship. Category:Lists